§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £1,313,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st clay of March, 1945, for the development of the resources of colonies, protectorates, protected states and mandated territories, and the welfare of their peoples; and for certain salaries and expenses.
§ 12 noon.
Mr. Creech JonesI would welcome a statement from the Secretary of State as to the schemes for which this money is to be made available. The difficulty we labour under is that now and again one notices in the newspapers that X sums have become available for this, that, or the other development scheme. It is quite true that at the end of the year we get a lucid statement from the Colonial Office of schemes for which moneys are made available, but it is very difficult for hon. Members to follow the work which is going forward, and the schemes which are being endorsed, unless a little more adequate information is made available to us. We are in receipt of very few reports in these days. We have to pick up our information as best we can from journals and papers which come from the Colonies themselves. That source of information is somewhat erratic, and it leaves the House in a position of considerable difficulty in appraising the schemes to which we are asked to give financial assistance. If some method could be devised whereby greater information could be made available to the House as to what this money is wanted for, I am certain it would arouse a far greater interest in Colonial matters than is shown at present, and certainly it would help considerably those who are intensely interested in Colonial progress to follow the progress which is being made. Therefore, I ask the Secretary of State if he can briefly indicate what the schemes are, and whether some means cannot be found for keeping the House informed of the big development work and the progress which is being made in respect of the Colony.
§ Colonel StanleyI am very grateful to the hon. Member for his suggestion, and I would certainly be only too anxious to give hon. Members any further information that was possible. I would be very glad to discuss with the hon. Gentleman, 2405 and hon. Members in other parties who take particular interest in Colonial affairs, what information they would like, and what it would be possible for me to give, and we could see if we could reach some agreement which hon. Members would feel would give them sufficient information, without putting too great a burden on staffs already depleted and overworked.
With regard to this particular Estimate, the largest items accounting for an increase—which I think the hon. Gentleman will welcome because it shows that we are using more of that £5,000,000 a year which we were allowed, and less of it is returning to the Treasury as happened under the old scheme—are rice production in British Guiana £100,000, agricultural centres in Jamaica £450,000, and African housing in Kenya £370,000.
§ Question put, and agreed to.